Impasse
by Shiroi Hoshi
Summary: Heartbroken and guarded, Sakura's had enough of love. But with his mesmerizing voice and captivating eyes, Sakura could feel herself being drawn to Itachi, the brother of the one who jaded her view on love. What was a confused girl to do? ItaSaku ONESHOT.


**A new ItaSaku! Because i'm suddenly overflowing with ideas. I was planning NaruSaku, but this plot doesn't suit Naruto, so I decided to go with Itachi. Hope you guys like this! It's a oneshot.**

* * *

Haruno Sakura sat in the empty café, hidden away at the end of the street. She turned her stunning emerald green eyes to the window and traced a raindrop down the glass with her index finger.

An hour passed, two hours, and then another.

Sakura lifted the cup to her lips and took a sip out of her third cup of hot chocolate. He wasn't just late. He was very late.

She reached into her backpack and took out her cell phone. Flipping the mobile open, she scrolled down her contacts and for a minute, considered putting him on speed dial, and assigned him the digit two.

Putting the phone to her ear, she let the dial tone mesmerize her. There was a beep and Sakura could hear shuffling in the background. 'Hey, Sasuke—'

A voice interrupted her, 'ah, Sasuke-kun… don't…'

It was the voice of a woman intoxicated with pleasure.

Sakura felt the phone tremble in her hand as she made herself shut up, and listen. She knew she should hang up, but she couldn't bring herself to.

'…shh,' Sasuke's low, familiar tone murmured in the background as his partner in bed made soft moans and gasps.

Sakura couldn't take it anymore. She removed the phone from her ear, ready to disconnect the line when she heard a clatter, sounding suspiciously like Sasuke's phone falling onto the floor. Sakura inhaled sharply; she could recognize the sound elicited by the parquet ground of Sasuke's room.

'Damn,' she heard her boyfriend curse, and the creaking of the bed as he got up to pick up the device, ignoring the woman's whining. 'Hold on, Karin. I forgot to take the phone out of my…' he trailed off.

_Karin?_ Sakura's mind flashed vaguely with memories of a lady with fiery red hair and a murderous glare behind her rimmed glasses, usually directed at Sakura.

'…Sakura?' Sasuke was saying, softly.

'What are you doing,' Sakura said quietly, keeping her tone controlled, 'Sasuke?'

'This isn't what you think it is,' his voice turned slightly panicked. 'I—'

'Sasuke-kun! Who is that? Come back to bed! Hurry. I'm getting cold, and—'

'Damn it, Karin,' Sasuke growled. 'Shut up.'

'No, it's okay,' Sakura cut in. 'Continue. I had a very interesting few minutes listening to you guys.' The first tear spilled from her eye. 'Tell Karin I said hi.'

'Sakura? Sakura, wait—'

Sakura snapped the phone shut and slammed back into the cushioned seat, dropping the phone onto the table, and covered her face with her hands, pink waves falling forward to shield her from public humiliation.

Not only had Sasuke forgotten about their date, he had been cheating on her at the same time.

_And I was waiting for him to propose?_ Sakura laughed bitterly at herself. _I can't believe I've loved someone who never loved me back these two years._

She didn't know how long she sat there, but the sky outside was starting to dim.

The bell at the front of the café rang and Sakura looked up just in time to see Sasuke, raggedly dressed in loose jeans and a rumpled white shirt, the buttons messily done. Her heart ached at the sight of him, but she grabbed her bag and ran into the staff-only room, taking her chances.

'Please,' she begged the counter guy. 'Let me hide here until he goes away.'

He gave her a strange look, but nodded understandingly. 'All right. Stay here.'

When the counter guy walked out to ask Sasuke if he could help, Sakura pressed herself up against the wall and tried to calm down with deep breaths.

'Have you seen a woman? About nineteen? Pink hair, green eyes?' Sasuke's voice came out in short pants.

'She was here since one in the afternoon,' the guy said. 'Waited for five hours. She just left not long ago.'

'Thanks.' The door to the café opened and closed again and Sakura peeked out from behind the door.

'He's gone now. You all right?'

'I'm fine.' Sakura walked to the door and opened it, looking around. 'Thanks.' And she walked the other way Sasuke went, deleting his number from her phone and removing him from speed dial.

She never wanted to see him again.

* * *

'Sakura-chan,' Naruto begged. 'I _seriously_ need a date for my company's New Year party. Why won't you just go with me this once!'

'Ask Hinata, why don't you?' Sakura raised an eyebrow.

'Hinata-chan is too shy for this kind of thing!'

'And I am… not?'

'Look, Sakura… I really need help this time.'

Sakura sighed and rolled her eyes. 'Just this once?'

'I love you! Name your price!'

'You will finally ask Hinata out for a date,' Sakura pointed a finger at him, 'swear it.'

Naruto paled a little, but he nodded and gave her a thumbs up.

On the day of the party, when Sakura got home, she flipped through her wardrobe to look at all her clothes. Naruto had been a little too last minute, and she hadn't time to go shopping for an outfit.

Her hand brushed past a dress, and she pulled the number out. It was made of heavy black silk; a tight, torso-hugging dress where it loosened and flowed below the waist, ending with a flare similar to a dance skirt just above the knee, complete with a halter-neck and showed a daring amount of her back.

She put the dress on, marveling at how good the soft material felt, and let her pink hair fall in light waves down her back, putting on a little bit of mascara and minimal eyeliner.

Then she looked herself over, slid her feet into a pair of black ballet flats and left to meet Naruto.

* * *

It was noisy.

Naruto had introduced her to his colleagues as his date, and then left to make small chat with the company's higher-ups, still in hopes of getting a promotion. 'I'll meet you outside the ballroom when it's over and drive you home, all right, Sakura-chan?'

Sakura shook her head. 'You go ahead and do your thing. I can go home by myself.'

Naruto had raised an eyebrow, but knowing one of his best friends and her capabilities, nodded and waved away.

Sakura had since then been wandering around the huge function, eating the sandwiches and sipping glass after glass of champagne.

She was about to go crazy of boredom when suddenly a glass of champagne was offered to her. 'For the beautiful lady,' said a smirking baritone.

She accepted it and looked up to the man.

The shock made her drop the champagne onto the carpet and take a few clumsy steps backward.

A flicker of worry crossed the man's face and he reached out to steady her. 'I think you might need some fresh air. Come on.' He led her, still stunned, to the balcony and stood back to let her catch her breath.

Sakura stared. He was strikingly attractive— the way he wore the subtle, teasing smirk and kept it playing at the corner of his lips, the way his eyes bore into her wide, green orbs.

But he was also devastatingly familiar— the angular jaw, the piercing onyx gaze and the raven black hair, with long bangs that fell down the sides of his face.

'S…Sasuke?' Sakura's voice trembled, but held a hint of untold fury, her mind suddenly clouded with memories from a long, long time ago.

'Uchiha Itachi,' the man smiled and offered her a hand. 'And you might be?'

The pinkette eyed his hand. It looked warm, and safe. 'Uchiha?' she murmured. 'Are you by any chance, related to Uchiha Sasuke?'

Itachi gave an amused look. 'Might my little brother be more interesting than I am?'

She let out a soft laugh. 'No, I think not. I'm Haruno Sakura.'

'Sakura.' Itachi took her hand and shook it. 'A beautiful name.'

'Thank you, Itachi-san.'

They both stood on the balcony, enjoying the quiet until the soft line of music drifted outside and Itachi turned towards Sakura. 'May I have this dance?'

_What a flirt. But yet a gentleman._ Sakura smiled and took his hand.

As they took slow steps across the balcony floor, Sakura was aware of how warm Itachi's hand felt on her bare back, and how close their faces were, until their breaths mingled and she could detect the faint scent of mint and cinnamon and smoke on Itachi's breath.

'So tell me,' Itachi's low voice murmured. 'How are you acquainted with my little brother?'

'We dated,' Sakura whispered, feeling the slight jab of pain at the mention of Sasuke, and winced as she recalled how they had separated. 'But I found out that…' she swallowed. '…that…'

'Sasuke was cheating on you?'

Sakura looked up in shock and slightly messed up the dance steps. 'How did you know?'

'I took a guess. Many of his exes have turned up at the door crying and cursing him, how could I not assume?'

'What a way to think of your brother,' Sakura retorted, but still amused. He was easy to talk to.

The next few minutes passed in silence as they waltzed across the balcony under the stars.

Sakura couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun.

_Oh but I can_.

She remembered how she had danced with Sasuke in his room, blasting songs through his speaker. How they had done crazy dance numbers together, slow, fast, modern, crazy, wild. She remembered his laugh, mingling with hers as they jumped on the bed and continued until they fell, tired onto the floor, panting and lying side by side.

'Sakura-san?' Itachi's voice was hesitant, laced with concern. 'Are you all right?'

Sakura blinked and felt tears on her cheeks. Her face flushed lightly with embarrassment. 'Oh. Uh. I'm all right.'

'Were you thinking about him?'

'…I guess.' She looked up again to compare their faces. They looked so alike her heart ached again. But they were different. They were different in so many other ways Sakura felt like chiding herself.

'Would you consider going out with me?'

The question threw her off. 'What?'

Itachi was smiling. 'Surprised?'

'Itachi-san, it's not funny…' Sakura tried to sound serious, but she couldn't help laughing, but she stopped. 'Aren't you worried that I'll be using you as a replacement, because of your almost identical faces?'

'Looks aren't everything you know.' Itachi stopped and gently tilted Sakura's chin upward. He gave her a beseeching look, as if seeking permission, before he pressed his lips gently to hers. 'You'll learn who I am inside, with time.'

Sakura, stunned, shook her head. 'I don't know, but, I don't think I'm ready t try again at love.'

'I understand that you would need time.'

'But thank you, for thinking that I'm worth cheering up.'

'It's all right.' Itachi held her closer and placed his lips close to her ear. 'But if you think you're ready to try again, I'll be there. Remember that.'

Sakura couldn't remember the last time she felt so safe. 'I won't forget,' she whispered.

* * *

**A/N: Was it okay? i thought it was a little awkward, but i would seriously seriously appreciate it if you guys can review and give me some feedback. SO, PLEASE REVIEW! My exams are over so i can write more often now... REVIEW! **


End file.
